Say yes to yoga? Think yoga and bodybuilding don't mix? Here are six great reasons to give yoga a try

Flex, Jan, 2008 by Michelle Neil

1 Done right, yoga involves the appropriate use of anatomy and physiology--stretching and relaxing agonist and antagonist muscles.

2 The tugs and pulls of gravity can wreak havoc on the structure of the body over time. Yoga brings about alignment. Each posture is designed to realign joints, strengthen the appropriate muscle groups around the joints and aid in the health of the internal organs.

3 The focus on breathing techniques aids in the dynamic stretching of tissues.

4 It's a great adjunct technique for treating a sports injury. Numerous postures are directed at strengthening an injured bodypart. It can also be preventative in nature, keeping tendons and ligaments supple and more adept at handling the pressures of weight training.

5 Preceding a training session with yoga allows time to unwind from outside stresses, bring your mind back into your body (so you are less likely to injure yourself), control your breathing and boost circulation.

6 Yoga is also a great way to end a training session. It brings blood into areas that have been hit hard by weight training, thus aiding workout recovery.

--Dr. Michelle Neil, internist and naturopathic physician, 2007 NPC USA heavyweight winner